Latest Kilauea eruption gets a name

Courtesy USGS

Early morning view of the fissure eruption between Napau Crater and Pu`u `Ō `ō. View is to the northwest. Fume from the eruptive vent in Halema`uma`u can be seen at upper right against the dark mass of Mauna Loa.

The latest eruption at Kilauea Volcano has a new working name.

Volcanologists yesterday said they are calling it the Kamoamoa Fissure Eruption after the area it is located at Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes.

Kamoamoa, which cracked open Saturday, is continuing to spew out loads of lava and gases. Meanwhile, visitors flock to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park hoping to catch a glimpse of the 2,000-degree glowing, red-orange lava that is shooting 65 feet high. But visitors are being kept far away from the isolated, remote east zone rift where the eruption is taking place.

The Hawaiian Volcanoes Observatory said "vigorous spattering" is occurring from at least two locations along the new vent located between Pu'u 'O'o and Napau craters. Low-level lava fountains and spattering are feeding several lava flows advancing to the south within the park.

Kilauea has been in constant eruption since Jan. 3, 1983. The latest eruption is in the same area of the east rift where it started 28 years ago.

Park ranger Mardie Lane said 2.5 million cubic meters of lava is gushing out of Kamoamoa daily, about five times the amount that was previously coming of the east rift zone. So far, the lava has blanketed about 120 acres.